
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
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Chap*.. Copyright ^o. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL 



PRIMARY LESSONS IN LANGUAGE 



B 7 
WILLIAM' SWINTON 





NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI ■:• CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 

TWO COPIES KttEtYED 



\S 



- **>-> 



f £ nvl 



2987 



Copyright, 1898, by 
American Book Company. 

Talking with the Pencil. 



PREFACE. 



In preparing this little book the author has endeavored to 
make the study of the right use of language in its written 
form pleasant and attractive to the youngest pupils. HEfe has 
constantly had in mind the fact that children learn best by 
doing, and therefore he has made every lesson an exercise in 
the practical use of words. Beginning with the simple idea 
of a word as the name of something, the learuer is led by easy 
steps to the acquisition of a knowledge of the first principles 
of English grammar. While this is being done he is also ac- 
quiring the ability to write correctly — that is, to talk with the 
pencil properly and fluently. These lessons are sufficient for 
one year's work, and will prepare the pupil to take up and 
pursue with increased interest the study of language in its 
more complex relations. 

Teachers will observe that every lesson herein presented 
is suggestive of much additional oral instruction. Indeed, 
every recitation should begin with a well-planned talk, lead- 
ing up to and helping to elucidate the particular points to be 
learned. The suggestions to teachers, printed in smaller type 
at the head of the lesson, will be found valuable in preparing 
these oral introductions. But the wise teacher will not stop 
with merely following these brief hints; she will introduce 
many original devices of her own, and will amplify and ex- 
tend each lesson by giving many additional exercises, both 
oral and written. 



CONTEXTS. 

TOPIC. PAGE. 

I. Weiting Names ..... .5 

II. The Statement 23 

III. The Question 31 

IV. The Command 41 

V. The Exclamation . 44 

VI. Proper and Common Names .... 47 

VII. One or More than One 53 

VIII. The Possessive Form 61 

IX. Quality- Words .66 

X. Comparison 81 

XI. Action-Words 91 

XII. The Object 106 

XIII. Words that Show How 109 

XTV. Letter- Writing 113 

Reviews 125 



TOPIC I. WRITING NAMES. 



LESSON I. 

[To the Teacher : Introduce this lesson by a familiar talk with the pupils, 
leading them to understand the distinction between things, pictures, and words. 
Teach them that things are often spoken of as objects. Lead them to ob- 
serve a number of familiar objects and to write the names of these objects.] 



Copy the words : 





InAxh 



"yuMj 



OQQ 

Copy, and write words in plaee of the dots : 




TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR II. 

[To the Teacher: The oral instruction to precede this exercise should be 
so presented as to elicit from the children the following points : Pictures make 
us think of things; words also make us think of things; many words are 
names of things. It will add much to the interest of the lesson if a number 
of objects are shown to the class, the children being required both to speak 
and write the name of each.] 




1. What does this picture make us think ofl 

2. What things do you see in this picture I 

3. What is the name of the sly wild animal that is lying 

on the ground 1 

4. By what name do we call the birds that arc swim- 

ming in the water 1 

Write the names of the things in the picture. 



TOPIC I. WETTING NAMES. 



LESSOR III. 



1. What is the fox in the picture doing? 

2. What does he want to do % 

3. What is the name of the place where the fox lives ? 

Copy, and write words in place of the dots : 

JDJUb tfajb MAX- . . . OJV\Aj XmJb hAMAKr ! 

3hjb hhu- . . . IajU* d/yarvb orb t/ruu , 

qiy\Aj ^OuXmxAbXjyAMj cLuiaL. jiv -wxj/ntb 
tor caJxib Ob fat faj^Ah 

3-rw mJUap hjjt out vnjuA/ 

tomjOs amxL cA/u- / 'uaaxxamj , aAAMxJkl 

3-rviy hhus . . . aatuL J^ycnnu ^u/vnJfh uJfb , 

oatclh oyub vrv M , amxL Aaa/w 

t&iwb .... 

Copy and learn : 

Many words are names of things. 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. ' 



LESSOR IV. 



[To the Teacher : The point to be developed in this lesson is that while 
many words are names of things, many other words are names of persons. A 
carefully planned oral lesson should lead up to and precede this written exer- 
cise. Require the pupils to give the names of several persons whom they 
know, and to write these names. Require them to find the names of persons 
in their reading lessons.] 



1% 



Copy, and write names of persons in place of the dots 
nxirvniy AJb 

JY{aM \Jb ouAs XloAuAj. 

OJY\Aj oJvu 



a hjjjxHj (h oxkL . Xll-t oall -ru/i- 



Copy and learn : 

Many words are names of persons. 



TOPIC I. WHITING NAMES. 



LESSOR V. 




Write answers to 
these questions : 



[To the Teacher : 
In this lesson the chil- 
dren are led to a first 
effort in composition 
in its simplest form — 
the answering of direct 
questions. It is not 
expected that the chil- 
dren, as yet, know what 
is a sentence, or how a 
sentence should be be- 
gun or ended. The 
lesson may be made 
interesting as well as 
instructive, by asking a 
series of judicious ques- 
tions about the picture, 
and then writing down 
the best answers. See 
that the oral answers 
meet the full require- 
ments of a statement — 
that is, that they are 
complete sentences.] 



1. How many children are there in this picture ? 

2. What is the name of the girl ? 

3. What is the name of the hoy I 

4. Which is sitting on the chair \ 

5. What is his sister doing I 

6. Do you think his picture will look like the girl \ 



What is he doing I 



10 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOX VI. 



[To the Teacher: The point to be developed in this lesson is that while 
many words are names of persons, and many of things, there are others that 
are the names of places. Lead up to it by a series of carefully planned ques- 
tions to be answered orally.] 



Copy, and write names of places instead of the dots 

a vjxhj ajy\j 

\h Xhh wua/mjb cry ouAj jJjgXju . 

3$vl mxmruj o^ oWb oou/vdhAj iA 

©tux c5 iAH/nt wb tfix ooM X/y 

S^xxahj am, AAmxhb aaAw ^aahJ) \m> . . 



Copy and learn : 

Many words are the names of places. 



TOPIC I. WRITING NAMES. 11 

LESSOR VII. 

[To the Teacher : Lessons VII. and VIII. are designed as tests of the 
children's ability to discriminate between names of persons, names of places, 
and names of things. The point to be developed orally is that names of per- 
sons, places, and things are called name-words, or nouns. Let the story be read 
aloud by the pupils.] 

I. Copy in one column all the names of persons in 
this story. 
II. Copy in another column all the names of places. 
III. Copy in another column all the names of things. 

FRANK AND IDA. 

Frank and Ida live in Iowa. Their aunt, who lives 
in New York, asked them to come on a visit to their 
cousins Emma and Louis. This made the children very 
happy indeed. 

On their long journey in the cars they passed through 
many places. Some of these were small villages, others 
were large cities. One of the cities was Albany. 

Here their uncle Robert met them, and they all went 
on board of a fine large steamboat. They sailed down 
a beautiful river called Hudson River. 

Frank and Ida sat on the deck of the steamboat and 
enjoyed looking at the many interesting objects which 
they passed — the grand hills, the boats sailing up and 
down, the farm-houses, and the villages by the shore. 



12 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR Till. 

Copy in the same way the names of persons, places, and 
things in the rest of the story. 

At last Frank and Ida and their uncle landed in New 
York. Here they staid two weeks, visiting many of the 
wonderful things to he seen in the great city. 

They often went to see the strange animals from 
far-off countries that are kept in Central Park. They 
liked best to look at the great elephants from Asia, 
at the lions from Africa, and at the monkeys from 
South America. 

At the wharves they saw ships from many distant 
lands — some laden with tea from China, and others with 
coffee from Brazil. 

When Frank and Ida went hack to their western 
home, it took them many days to tell their friends about 
all the interesting persons, places, and things they had 
seen. 

Copy and learn : 

Words which are the names of persons, places, and 
things are sometimes called name-words. 



TOPIC I. WRITING NAMES. 



13 



LESSOR IX. 

[To the Teacher : This 
exercise in supplying ellipses 
of name-words may be pre- 
ceded by an oral review, de- 
veloping object, picture, ivord, 

name, name- word. Teacher QjjLxJ^luJli 

may then write on the black- 
board, and pupils may copy : 
A name of a person is a name- \^^yZ; \ ;* 

word. 
A name of a place is a name- 

icord. 1 I 

A name of a thing is a name- Jfi 

word. ,i/r ; , 

Question to obtain names / f 

of the three types, — thus: ,* li I 
Tell me the name of three , (Qf\\ '4 
persons; -of three places. 

Tell me the names of objects ^ ^aMfett3p| Bi5i5ffiB~ 

in the schoolroom ; of objects ^^ ^ 

in a parlor ; of two pet ani- 
mals ; of four flowers.] 

Copy and insert the right words in the blank spaces. 
Then draw a line under each name : 

Frank Otis is busy cutting a block of 

He is trying to make a .... to sail on the 

Frank is sitting on a with the .... on his 

. . . He is cutting the block with his 

His . . . Snap is looking on. 

When the .... is made Frank is ooino- to call it 

, lor that is the .... of his sister. 




14 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSON X. 

[To the Teacher : The points to be developed in Lesson X. are the 
meaning of the terms full name, Christian name, and surname, and the use 
of capital letters in writing' names of persons. The teacher should lead up to 
these by a series of questions and oral exercises. Ask the pupils for their full 
names. Teach which part of the full name is the given name, and which the 
surname. If the children do not know the meaning of the terms capital letter 
and period, teach it here.] 



I. Write your full name. 

II. Copy this, putting- your own name in place of "Ida 
Lewis." 



c3gUu SjuatU) 



III. Copy, and draw one line under the given name and 
two lines under the family name, or surname : 



\jAAAAJ3jW0Jbdj M^yuu-^. 

IOoawcL J9 aaauiax> 3ua/L . 






TOPIC I. WRITING NAMES. 15 

IV. Write the given names of three boys. 
V. Write the family names of three girls. 
VI. Write the lull names of six children. 

Copy and learn : 

The full name of a person is made up of the given 
name and the family name, or surname. 

Each word of the full name of a person should begin 
with a capital letter. 

[Note. — The teacher should impress upon the pupils the importance of writing their 
own names and the names of others with very great distinctness — so that 
they shall he "as plain as print." It should he made a matter of class pride 
and emulation among pupils to write their names with simplicity (using no 
flourishes), and with neatness and perfect legibility. The signing of written 
exercises will give ample practice. 



LESSOR XI. 

[To the Teacher : By way of review, dictate a dozen nouns, some proper 
(persons and places), others common, — as 

lion Tabby girl Ralph pork baker 

pussy Boston Susan Washington Broadway John Smith,— 
then let one half of tbe scholars write only the names which it is thought 
should begin with capital letters, and the other half those which it is thought 
should begin with small letters. Or, let this be done as a blackboard exercise 
by two pupils, the class to criticise. The special point to be brought out in 
this lesson is the use of initials.] 

I. Copy from the next page the names of the first 
seven Presidents of the United States: 



16 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

2,. \/oh/n QAxurnJ) . 

U. ^la/vvubb TfiaxiAJ^crvb . 
5. \<\/YvWsYT\jjnJiMj . 

II. Write these names again, using* only the first Letter 
of each of the given names. 
III. Write your own name in the same way. 

Copy and learn : 

The first letter of a word is called an initial. 
An initial letter used instead of a name should be 
a capital, and a period should be placed after it. 



TOPIC I. WHITING NAMES. 17 



LESSOR XII. 

[To the Teacher: We come now to the first of a sei'ies of exercises in 
which the pupils are required to write out from heads a story which they have 
read or which has been told by the teacher. It is, of course, an exercise in 
composition ; but instead of using this formidable name, these pleasant little 
tasks may be spoken of as telling a story with the pencil. In conducting' this 
lesson it is suggested that the heads of the story be written on the blackboard 
as each division of it is read by the pupils. A lively conversation about the 
story may then be conducted in the order of the written heads. Crudities or 
errors of expression may be corrected by the teacher's saying pleasantly, " I 
would say it so and so," or " Don't you think it would be better to say that — 
thus and thus?' 1 ' The best statements may be written on the blackboard 
and copied by the pupils, after which each is to write his own version of the 
story as a whole.] 



THE LITTLE TRUTH-TELLER. 

A Story to be Read. 

When George Washington was a little boy, his lather 
one day made him a present of a hatchet. 

George was very proud of his hatchet. He went 
about trying it on boards and logs and such things, to 
see how sharp it was, and what large chips it would 
make. 

At last, as George was playing in the garden, lie came 
to a young cherry tree that his father had planted. 
With two or three blows of his hatchet he cut the tree 
in two. 



18 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

Now, George's father thought a great deal of this 
tree. But George was so pleased with his pretty little 
hatchet, that he did not think what he was doing. 

By and hy his father came into the garden, and saw 
his favorite cherry tree cut in two and killed. Then he 
was very angry. He called George to him, and asked 
him in a stern voice if he knew who had cut the tree 
down. 

Did George answer, " I don't know, father " \ Oh, no! 
Did he lay the blame on any one else \ Oh, no! 

Little George Washington was a truthful hoy. His 
father had taught him to tell the truth always, and to 
hate a lie. 80 he ran up to his father, and hurst into 
tears, saying, " Father, I did it. I can not tell a lie 
about it. I cut it with my hatchet." 

George's father took the little lad in his arms, and 
kissed him. "My dear son," he said, "I would rather 
lose a thousand cherry trees than have you tell one lie." 

When this little truth-teller grew up to be a man, he 
was brave, wise, and good. He was the first President 
of the United States, and we call George Washington the 
Father of his Country. 

Tell this story with the pencil as indicated by the heads 
on the next page. 



TOPIC I. WEITING NAMES. 19 

OWJb SuKWJb OAAAXJh-O-tlLlAs . 

1 . The present — what it was. 

2. How George felt — what lie went about doing:. 

3. The cherry tree — where it grew — what George 

thought. 

4. George's father — favorite tree — how he felt — what 

he said. 

5. George's answer — his father's words. 

6. What kind of a man George grew up to be. 

lessor xrn. 

[To the Teacher : The point to be taught in this lesson is the use of ini- 
tial capitals in writing the special names of places.] 

I. Copy, putting the names of places in the blank spaces : 

a -uam, i/ru 

3rw rba/vruo ot ovJh hXxxlh ih 

OaaKj oorumfJuw \h (jolhudu \hju ..... . 

\h Xmjb oaJ^uZal oj/ tvw 



20 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

II. Copy these names of states : 

Maine, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, 
New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, 

New Jersey, South Dakota, Rhode Island. 

Copy and learn : 

The special name of a place should begin with a 
capital letter. 

[Note.— Teach the abbreviation for the name of the state in which the children live. 
Show that a period should follow every abbreviation.] 

LESSOR XIV. 

[This exercise, which the teacher may speak of as a Utile life of each pupil, 
calls for two sentences, — a simple declarative sentence giving the city (town 
or village), county, and state in which the child was born, and a compound 

sentence, giving the name and age of the child.] 

Write about yourself by answering these questions: 
Where do you live I [Name of city, or town, and state.] 
What is your name ? What is your age I 

MODEL. 

lYlaM^cuJviAAJi^ rwjYWb aJ$ JYlxxJhL 

TfhAA/iprw/vb ) a/vub 3 a/vvb rwwo iwaM 
awu . 



TOPIC I. WRITING NAMES. 



21 



LESSON XV. 




Look at this picture. Write answers to these questions 

1. What great animal is this I 

2. How many people are on his hack? 
.'I. How many of them are children I 

4. Where is the lady] 

5. Where is the man sitting I 
(k What is in his hand I 

Now write a story about the elephant and the children. 



22 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

1. What does a picture make us think of? 

2. What does a word often make us think of? 

3. What are names of persons, places, and things 

called ? 

4. With what kind of letters should the special names 

of persons and places begin 1 

5. What is your full name 1 

6. What is your surname, or family name ] 

7. What is your given or Christian name ] 

8. When a given or Christian name is made up of 

two or more words, with what kind of letter 
should each word begin I 

9. What is an initial ? 

10. What must always be placed after an initial letter ? 

11. What is the initial (or what are the initials) of your 

given name ? 

12. With what kind of letters are initials of names of 

persons written % 

13. With what kind of letters must the special names 

of places always begin % 

14. Write the names of six states. 

15. Write the names of three towns. 

16. Write the names of two rivers. 

17. Write the names of five Presidents. 



TOPIC II. THE STATEMENT. 



LESSON XVI. 



[To the Teacher : In this lesson we 
enter on the important subject of the 
sentence, — the outlining of which con- 
stitutes the oral development and ex- 
ercise-work under Topics II., III., IV. 
and V. 

The definition of a sentence will be 
better understood by young scholars 
after they have received the instruction 
and written the exerciseshere indicated. 
Not much time need be spent in prema- 
ture attempts to convey an exhaustive 
notion of the sentence in general.] 

Write answers to these ques- 
tions : 

1. How many boys do you 

see in this picture I 

2. Where is one of the hoys I 

3. Where is the other I 

4. What is the hoy in the 

tree doing \ 

5. What is the other boy 

doing 1 I 




24 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL, 

How many thoughts have you written about the 
boys in the picture 1 

Copy and learn : 

A group of words used to express a thought is 
called a sentence. 

How many sentences have you written about these 
boys I 

LESSOX XVII. 

I. Copy, and write words telling- what each animal 
does, as 

cfrU/ lex JUAMA. 



1. The cat 4. Fishes 

2. The dog 5. A cow .... 

3. Birds .... 6. A horse .... 



II. Write sentences that tell something about each of 
the following objects : 

1. Hoses 4. Bees 

2. Leaves 5. Tops 

3; The sun 6. Kites 

Copy and learn : 
A sentence that tells something is a statement. 



TOPIC II. THE STATEMENT. 25 

LESSON XVIII. 
Write statements by answering these questions : 

1. What does the clock do? 

2. How does sugar taste I 

3. How do roses smell ? 

4. How many legs has a duck ? 

5. How many legs has a horse I 

6. How many toes has a child 1 

7. What do birds do with their wings '? 

8. Where do whales swim I 

9. When does the moon shine I 

10. What is your name \ 

11. How old are you I 

[Note.— Let the teacher now take three or four of the short sentences read, and place them 
on the blackboard, the one after the other, without initial capitals or the terminal 
period. From this it will be easy to lead the children to decide that it is hard 
to read statements written in this way, and to see the meaning and propriety of 
the two rules now to be given.] 

Copy and learn : 

The first word of every sentence should begin with 

a capita] letter. 
A statement should end with a period. 



26 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOR XIX. 

[To the Teacher: The point to be developed in this lesson is that in 
every statement there must be something about which the statement is made, 
and there must be something stated. A few of the incomplete groups of words 
may be placed on the board, as — 

The good boy. Swim in the sea. 
Have you said anything about " The good boy " ? Have you stated anything * 
What is a statement *? Then is this a statement, " Swim in the sea " ? What 
swim in the sea ? What are you talking about ? You see there is nothing to 
tell what you are talking about.] 

Copy only the groups of words that make statements : 

1. The good hoy. 2. The time of day. 

3. The squirrel looked at the chestnuts. 

4. Scholars write with pens on paper. 

5. Little drops of water, little grains of sand. 

6. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean. 

7. The cherry tree which George Washington cut down. 

8. Swim in the sea. 9. Ida sings sweetly. 

Copy and learn : 

In every statement there must be something about 
which the statement is made, and there must be 
something stated, or told. 

Now copy the groups of words that do not make state- 
ments. Add other words to them, so that each shall 
tell something. 



TOPIC II. THE STATEMENT. 



•1~ 



LESSOX XX. 




Write statements to answer these questions : 

1. What kind of house is this I 2. Who is in the house I 

3. Is the little hoy playing dog I 

4. What is on the ground near the hoy ? 

5. Is the little dog angry I 

6. Dors lie say, "Bow-wow ! Come out of my house "1 

7. Docs he Bay, "Go to your own house. This one is 

mine " I 

8. What is the dog's name I How do you know i 



28 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSON XXI. 



Write statements by using one of each of the words in 
the left-hand group with one of each in the right-hand 
group — thus : 

QjWLh . 



\3alrw 



Baby 


Parrots \ 


/ ripen 


grow 


Plants 


Leaves ) 


1 spin 


twinkle 


Stars 


Fire 


) cries 


play 


Tops 


Ice ( 


J talk 


fall 


Children 


Monkeys ) 


1 melts 


burns 


Cherries 


Bears / 


\ growl 


chatter 



LESSON XXII. 

Copy, and draw one line under the word or words that 
show about what each statement is made, and two 
lines under the words that show what is stated: 

1. The robin sings. 

2. The pretty robin sings in the tree. 

3. I love little pussy. 

4. Bivers flow to the sea. 

5. Fido was a wise dog. 

6. The busy bee makes honey. 

7. Our baby slept and smiled. 



TOPIC II. THE STATEMENT. 



LESSOR XXIII. 



29 



Write statements telling what each of these things is 
made of. Draw a line between the words that 
show about what each statement is made, and 
the word or words that show what is stated, thus : 



nW djibfo ijh nrnxubb o^ w&oxL 



1. My shoes , 

2. The blackboard . . 

3. The bell 

4. A pencil 

5. The lock 

6. My hat is made of 

7. Our books 

8. The window . . . 



II. Copy, and fill the blank spaces with the names of 
objects made from the things named. Draw a 
line under each name-word. 

1. is made of gold. 6. wool. 

2. of silver. 7. silk. 

3. tin. 8. far. 

4. zinc. 9. cotton. 

5. - iron. 10. leather. 



30 • 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 




LESSOX XXIV. 

Look at this picture. Think 
about it, and then write state- 
ments in answer to these 
questions : 

:J. ' 1. Is this a picture of a si can i- 

^=— ^— ship I 

2. Can you see the big iron chimneys with the smoke 

coming out '? 

3. How many chimneys has the ship ? 

4. How many masts has it I 

5. Of what use are the masts ? 

6. Can you see any sails 1 

7. I)o you see the flag 1 Where ? 

8. Do you think a large ship sailing on the ocean is a 

fine sight ? 



REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

What is a sentence ? 

What is a statement I 

What must there be in every statement'? 

With what kind of letter must every sentence begin i 

With what must every statement end I 



TOPIC TIL THE QUESTION. 



LESSOR XXV. 




Write as many questions as you can about what you see 
in this picture. Ask about, — the umbrella — Jane 
and her doll — Kate — pillow — Kate's doll — basket 
— apples — cup and saucer — what the children are 
" making believe." 

[To the Teaches : The best beginning in the development of this subject 
is to lead the children themselves to ask questions — fortunately not a diffi- 
cult task. For this purpose the picture will be very serviceable. When a 

31 



32 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

number of oral questions have been obtained, two or. three may be written 
on the blackboard, thus : 

Are two apples on the floor ? 

Has Jane a doll in her arms .' 

Where is Kate's doll J 

Elicit the observation that we have written (1) words ; (2) groups of words. 
Question to test if either of these groups of words is a sentence: does it say 
(express) something in the child's mind — something of which he is thinking I 
Does it express a thought ? 

Have the class open their readers at some piece containing several short 
interrogative sentences, and call on pupils in succession to pick out and read 
a question. What mark is placed after each question ? Teach the expression, 
interrogation point.] 

LESSOR XXVI. 

Copy in one place all the sentences that are statements, 
and in another all the sentences that are questions : 

What is that ? 

Oh, it is a little boat. I will give it to you when it 
is finished. Would you like to have it I 

Yes, very much, thank you. Has grandmamma 
seen it? 

Not yet; we will take it to her by and by. What 
have you in your pan ? 

I have some corn for my hens. They must be very 
hungry by this time. Don't you think so I 

How many hens have you I 

I have six hens. Three of them are black, and the 
rest are white. How many are white ? 



TOPIC III. THE QUESTION. 33 

Copy and learn : 

A sentence that asks something is a question, or 

interrogation. 
The question mark [?] is called an interrogation point. 
A question should begin with a capital letter and end 

with an interrogation point. 

LESSOR XXVII. 

Place the proper mark after each sentence, and tell 
whether it is a statement or a question : 

1. Who is there 

2. What made the lamb love Mary so 

3. The sun shines brightly 

4. The earth is round like a ball 

5. Boys like to play 

6. Have yon been to school 

7. Is tliis my watch 

8. What is the largest animal 

i). The whale is the largest animal 

K) Baby has eight fingers 

1 1. How many toes has she 

12. She has ten toes 

13. Eave yon a new book ? 

14. Where is my hook ( 

15. Here is my hall. 



34 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOX XXVIII. 

I. Write these sentences, changing them from state 
ments to questions, thus : 

St AM Oold. 

1. Alice is sad : she can not go to the picnic. 

2. This is my watch : it is a gold watch. 

3. Mary is happy. 

4. The wind hlows. 

5. The earth is round like a hall. 

6. We shall go to town to-morrow. 

7. The robin flew to the topmost branch. 

8. There are twelve dozen in a gross. 

9. The pupil of the cat's eye is larger than ours. 

10. A steamer on the ocean is a fine sight. 

11. Change these questions to statements : 

1. Do the boys like to play ball \ 

2. Are there many trees in the orchard I 

3. Children, do you go to school \ 

4. Have you a new hat, Mary I 

5. Did it rain hard yesterday I 



TOPIC III. THE QUESTION. 35 

LESSON XXIX. 



I. Copy this : 



Did, ajfjw culi Yurmjb hxx!^ ? 
QjvuL ctixL iMYib fymAi )DMYY\aAamXj uml ? 

sbxb Ahjxh)(h-Jif\W) aJwurvb a/vuw ? 
jOonX iaqu, XkAwh hju \jb ou wMp qawvywyux> 
hAhmj ? 

JOq- imjw -fjuuL ^wouJv AmnJ) zamAai> 

D& %jAJ\h hXjlL AmHj WdU/b 

KjOUMfVh QjYWUsI 

II. The girls may write to a girl friend asking a num- 
ber of questions. 

III. The boys may write to a boy friend asking a num- 

ber of questions. 

IV. Write three questions that can not be answered by 

yes or no. 



36 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR XXX. 

I. 

Write a question asking where tea comes from. 
Write a question asking what sponge is. 
Write a question asking what the miller does. 
Write a question asking when the Declaration of In- 
dependence was made. 

Write a question asking where lions are found. 
Write a question asking what time it is. 

II. 

Write a statement answering each of the questions 
you have just written. 

LESSON XXXI. 

I. Read these verses ; then commit them to memory : 

Where did you come from, baby dear ? 
Out of the everywhere into the hen'. 

Where did you get your eyes so blue 1 
Out of the sky as I came through. 



TOPIC III. THE QUESTION. 37 

What makes the light in them sparkle and spin I 
Some of the starry spikes left in. 

Where did you get that little tear % 
I found it waiting when I got here. 

What makes your forehead so smooth and high ? 
A soft hand stroked it as I went by. 

What makes your cheek like a warm white rose % 
Something better than any one knows. 

But how did you come to us, you dear ? 
God thought of you, and so I am here. 

How many questions are there in these verses % 

II. Write two sentences about each of these things — 
first a question, and then a statement : 

1. The horse. 4. Birds. 

2. The camel. 5. Flowers. 

3. A ship. 6. The snow. 

II. Write a question about: 

1. A person. 2. A place. 3. A thing. 



38 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR XXXII. 




THE SAILOR AND THE MONKEYS. 

[Write this title on the blackboard before beginning the story.] 

Did you ever hear the funny story about the Bailor 
and the monkeys I I will tell it to you. 

Once a sailor who had come ashore from a long- voyage 
was traveling to a distant town. On his back was a 
bundle of little red woolen caps which he was carrying 
with him to sell. 

He had to pass through a great forest, in which troops 



TOPIC III. THE QUESTION. 39 

of chattering monkeys were everywhere climbing about 
among the trees. It was a very hot day, and at noon the 
sailor lay down to rest under the shade of a large tree. 
Taking one of the caps from his bundle, he put it on his 
head and soon fell fast asleep. 

By and by he awoke and rubbed his eyes. He looked 
around him for his bundle ; but lo ! the bundle was no- 
where to be seen ! The poor man did not know what 
to think. But just then he heard a great chattering over 
his head, and when he looked up he soon saw what had 
become of all his pretty red caps. 

The trees were alive with monkeys jumping about as 
happy as they could be, each with a red cap on his head. 

The rogues had seen the sailor put one of the caps on ; 
so when he was asleep they took the others for themselves. 

The sailor shouted and cried, but the more he shouted 
the harder the monkeys chattered. At last he made up 
his mind that all his pretty woolen caps were lost for 
ever. So in his anger he took off the one that was on 
his own head, and threw it on the ground. " You little 
thieves," he said, " if you will keep the rest you may 
take this one, too! " 

The minute lie did this every monkey that had a cap 
snatched it off and threw it to the ground, just as the 
sailor had done. When he scolded they scolded too, and 



40 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

when he threw down his cap they threw down theirs. 
And this is the way he got them all hack. 

Write your answers to these questions : 

1. What is this story about? 

2. Where was the sailor going ? What was in his bun- 

die? 
8. What did he see in the forest ? What did he put on 
when he lay down to sleep ? 

4. When he awoke what was missing? Where were 

the caps 1 Why had the monkeys put them on ! 

5. What did the sailor do first '? What did he do and 

say at last 1 

6. What did the monkeys do then ? Why did they do it I 



REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

1. What kind of a sentence is a question I 

2. How many kinds of sentences have you learned about I 

3. With what must every question begin I 

4. What does the interrogation point show I 

5. Where must it be written I 

6. May some questions be answered by a single word I 



TOPIC IV. THE COMMAND. 



LESSOR XXXIII. 

Copy in one place the questions, in another the state- 
ments, and in another the sentences which are neither 
questions nor statements : 

1. Does the butterfly live among flowers? 

2. Work while you work. 

3. Do not kill the birds. 

4. Hang up your hats, children. 

5. Which way does the wind blow 1 
(3. All plants have seeds. 

7. Put by the drum and the gun. 

8. Come, let us all play ball. 

9. Do you intend to wear my mitten 1 

10. A bee-hive is a house for bees to live in. 

11. Take care, Frank, the bee will sting you. 

Copy and learn : 

A sentence that requests or orders something to be 
done is called a command. 

Tell which of the sentences you have written are com- 
mands. 

41 



42 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSON XXXIV. 



I. Copy, and in the blank spaces write words to make 
commands : 

When yoa come into a house . ... oft* your hat. 

Children, .... your parents. 

Little children, .... one another. 

.... before you leap. 

.... us this day our daily bread. 

If at first you don't succeed, . . . again. 

.... the ball high up in the air. 

me, if you can. 

If at first you don't succeed, ....... again. 

II. Copy this verse. Draw a line under each command. 
Draw two lines under each statement. 

" Come, little leaves," said the wind one day, 
" Come o'er the meadows with me, and play. 

Put on your dresses of red and gold. 

Summer is gone and the days grow cold." 

Copy and learn : 

A command, when written alone, should begin with 
a capital letter and end with a period. 



TOPIC IV. THE COMMAND. 



43 



LESSON XXXV. 




I. Write answers to these questions : 

1. Isn't this a nice party? 

2. Do you see Mamma with Baby Dot on her knee I 

3. Do you see Aunt Ruth holding- the whip I 

4. Does John look as if he were standing up ? 

5. What are the names of the two children I 

6. In what kind of a cart are they I 

7. Can the donkey trot fast I 

II. Write in one connected story all that you can tell 
about this picture. 



TOPIC V. THE EXCLAMATION. 



LESSOR XXXVI. 

Copy these sentences : 

1. The cat said mew! mew! 

2. Hark! Do yon hear the thunder'? 

3. Hollo, Frank ! Where are you going ? 

4. I should like to have that hook. 

5. How I should like to have that hook ! 

6. King out, wild hells, to the wild sky ! 

7. Alas ! good old Tabby is dead. 

8. Who was Tabby I Tabby was oar cat. 

9. How doth the little busy bee 

Improve each shining hour ! 

10. Oh, Mother, how glad I am! 

11. "Help! help!" he cried. 

Copy and learn : 

An exclamation is a word or sentence that expresses 
sudden feeling - . 

Which of the foreiioino- sentences or words are excla- 

mations 1 

An exclamation point should be placed alter an ex- 
clamation. 

44 



TOPIC V. THE EXCLAMATION. 45 

LESSOR XXXVII. 

I. Change the statements to exclamations — thus: 

ot <J) cxrtci. 
J4trur ooid \L ih\ 

1. It is dark. 

2. That is a lovely flower. [What a ] 

3. This is a beautiful day. 

4. The birds sang sweetly on the trees. [Oh, how ] 

5. trie scenes of my childhood are dear to my heart. 

6. The horse runs fast. 

II. Fill the blanks with the right exclamation words : 



1. The cat says ! 

2. The dog says . . . . ! 

3 I don't believe a word of it ! 

4 that is very naughty ! 

5 a holiday ! a holiday ! 

6 how glad I am ! 

7 is that you ! 

8 did you hear that I 

\) says (lie busy bet 1 ! 

10 The bouse is burning! 



46 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR XXXVIII. 




I. Write as many sentences as yon can about what you 
see in the picture. Use several exclamations, such as : 

Oh see, Daisy ! my 

Look how they ! 

What beautiful they ! 

How they ! 

II. Copy these sentences : 

1. Is the dog here ? 2. The dog is here. 3. Oh, here is 

the dog ! 
Write three sentences of the same kind, about each of 
these things : horse, mouse, car, puss. 



TOPIC VI. PROPER AND COMMON NAMES. 



LESSOR XXXIX. 

Copy the following sentences. Draw two lines under 
each proper name, and one line under each common 
name : 

1. Snip is a dog. 

2. We get tea from China and Japan. 

3. We get coffee from Java and Brazil. 

4. Washington was the first President. 

5. New York is the largest city in America. 

6. The Mississippi is the largest river in the United 

States. 

7. The rose is a sweet flower. 

8. I have a cousin whose name is 

9. Uncle came to see us last week. 

10 is the largest city in the world. 

Copy and learn : 

A proper name is the name given to a particular 

person, place, or tiling. 
A common name is a name that belongs to eacli 

one of the same kind or class of persons, places, 

or things. 
The first letter of every proper name should be a 

capital. 

47 



48 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSON XL. 

I. Copy the names of the months : 

yimAAyaJvw SuAaaxxAaj- 1 flaAxA 
GJ{\AaJL TY\mam (Uaavl 

II. Copy, and fill the blank spaces properly : 

1 is the first month. 

2. The shortest month is 

3. The third month, , has thirty-one days. 

4 showers bring . . . flowers. 

5. Three hot months are . . . . , . . . . , and 

6. We gather apples in 

7. Thanksgiving Day is in the month of 

8 is the twelfth month of the year. 



Copy and learn : 

The names of the months are proper names : and 
so the name of each month begins with a eapital 
letter. 



TOPIC VI. PEOPEE AND COMMON NAMES. 49 

LESSOR XLI. 

I. Copy the names of the days : 

u\jyy\Ax\nj, oAAJLbAxxnp VJ-eA/vuJixiaA^ 

II. Copy the names of holidays : 

YijUArlUxA/ib IDoap iO-exy&iaXijyvb £)a/ip 
aoixAm op \JAUfw WoJmuvwXjc^ 

III. Copy and fill the spaces properly : 

1. Santa Clans conies every 

2 is a holiday in November. 

3. Our national holiday is 

4. On we go to church. 

5. The lour months that have each thirty days arc . . . ., 

and 



50 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR XLII, 




1. Look at this picture ; then write answers to these 
questions : 

1. In what season may things appear as in this picture i 

2. What month of the year do you think it is ? Why I 

3. What covers the ground and trees ] 

4. What covers the brook I 

5. Where else do you see snow I 

6. Do you think it is a very cold day I 

7. What kind of birds do you see ? 

II. Put all the answers to these questions together so 
as to make a story about "A Winter Day." 

Copy and learn : 

The names of the days of the week and of holidays 

are proper names. 
The names of the seasons are not proper names. 



TOPIC VI. PEOPER AND COMMON NAMES. 51 



LESSOR XLITI. 

I. Write, telling about yourself, using' your own name, 
and giving the month, day of the month, and 
year of your birth — thus : 

d), Mm Somi^lW, IroVn, (j^f/i^ 4, I ff&q, 

II. In writing the heading of a letter we write the name 
of the place, of the month, the day of the month, 
and the year — thus : 

Write six other headings, using names of other places 
and months. 



LESSON XLIV. 

Copy this story. Draw one line under each common 
name and two lines under each proper name. 

THE "(JRASSHOPPER." 

Harry's new boat was finished in September. When 
it was quite done he got James, the coachman, to help 
him take it to the pond. 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



~«^F 










Harry's sister 
Emma came to see 
the boat launched 
and to take a ride 
in it. 

The boat was 
soon placed on the 
water and tied by 
a rope to the little 
wharf. As it was 
the middle of the 
afternoon on Satur- 
day, and the sun 
was hot, Harry nailed four rods to the sides of the boat, 
and taking a piece of cloth which he had brought with 
him, he stretched it over them for an awning. 

"Now," said Harry, "our boat must have a name, 
and you must name it." 

" I think," said Emma, " that it looks like a grass- 
hopper sitting on the water. Let us call it Grasshopper." 
" First-rate ! Grasshopper it is, then," said Harry ; 
and, with a piece of chalk which he took from his pocket, 
he marked the word neatly on the side of the boat. 

" You will think it a grasshopper," said he, " when 
you see it jump over the water." 



TOPIC VII. ONE Oil MORE THAX ONE. 



LESSOR XLY. 



[To the Teacher : The subject of number in nouns presents no difficulty 
of theory and is readily understood as the distinction between one and more 
than one. The mode of writing plurals is, however, a matter requiring' much 
drill. The terms "singular" and "plural" should be written on the board 
and copied by the pupils : they may be given arbitrarily as synonyms for one 
and more than one.] 

Copy in one column the words that name one thing, and 
in another column those that name more than one : 

1. The river ilows. 

2. The rivers flow. 

3. Little hoys drive fat cows. 

4. A do<>' knows his master. 

5. The star began to twinkle. 

6. The stars began to twinkle. 

7. The pupils were using their sleds. 

8. The pupil was using his sled. 

9. I know Cod made the sun 

To fill the day with light; 
He made the twinkling stars 
To shine all through the night. 

53 



54 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

10. He made the hills that rise 

So very high and steep ; 
He made the lakes and seas, 
That are so broad and deep. 

Copy and learn : 

A word may denote one thing or more than one. 

When it denotes only one thing- we say it is in the 
singular number; when it denotes more than 
one thing-, it is in the plural number. 

The plural of a name-word is usually formed by 
adding s to the singular. 

LESSOR XLVI. 

I. Write these name-words, and change them so that 
each shall mean more than one : 

hat table seat sister 

slate chair horse brother 

toe desk goat cousin 

plant bell boat aunt 

11. Change these name-words so that each shall mean 

only one : 



pencils 
books 


pitchers 
bonnets 


squirrels 
monkeys 


seas 
rivers 


toys 
lessons 


trees 
flowers 


elephants 
bridges 


lakes 
oceans 



TOPIC VII. ONE OR MORE THAN ONE. 55 

LESSON XLVII. 

I. Write these name-words, and change them so that 
each shall be in the plural number : 

lily cherry sky pony 

lady baby . penny body 

II. Change these name-words so that each shall be in 
the singular number : 
flies chimneys ferries stories 

armies queries valleys cities 

fairies dandies tidies donkeys 

LESSON XLVTEI. 

1. Write these name-words, and change them so that 
each shall be in the plural number : 
kiss box wish glass 

church bench class hoax 

dish witch fish arch 

II. Change these name-words so that each shall be in 
the singular number : 
crutches beeches foxes bulrushes 

walruses crosses losses lynxes 

matches waltzes mosses adzes 



56 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSON XLIX. 



I. Copy these words meaning one and more than one : 



potato 


potatoes 


tomato 


tomatoes 


buffalo 


buffaloes 


volcano 


volcanoes 



hero 
oegro 

mosquito 

echo 

veto 



heroes 
negroes 

mosquitoes 

echoes 

vetoes 



II. Copy these words meaning one and more than one : 



man 


men 


woman 


women 


ox 


oxen 


goose 


geese 


tooth 


teeth 


foot 


feet 


mouse 


mice 


child 


children 


calf 


calves 


half 


halves 



knife 

leaf 

loaf 

life 

self 

sheaf 

thief 

wharf 

wife 

wolf 



knives 
leaves 

loaves 

lives 

selves 

sheaves 

thieves 

wharves 

wives 

wolves 



Copy and learn : 



Several name- words form their plural in different 
ways and are called irregular. 



TOPIC VII. ONE OR MORE THAN ONE. 57 



LESSOR L. 

Change these words so that each shall be in the plural 
number : 

church piano kiss inch 

history scholar mouse wish 

wife woman loaf duty 

roof sheep mountain lady 

hero ox tooth boy 



LESSOR LI. 

Change these sentences so that each statement shall be 
about more than one thing, — thus: 

QjfJflljLb AAJfUJYh Wu OuAXMJJX . 

1 . A bird is an animal with feathers. 

2. The bee is a little worker. 

3. The sparrow chirps of spring. 

4. The lady was going out. 

5. A cat scratches. 



58 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

6. The ffirl goes to school. 

7. A hen lias a hill. 

8. The goose hissed at the hoy. 

9. The lily is beautiful. 

1 0. A wolf was shot. 

1 1 . The child laughs. 

12. I am aroiner to town. 

18. We . . . going to town. 

14. My tooth has decayed. 

15. The gentleman was late for the train. 

16. My foot slipped on the ice. 

17. A man of words, and not of deeds, 
Is like a garden full of weeds. 

LESSOX LII. 

Write a sentence with man in the plural. 
Write a sentence with geese in the singular. 
Write a sentence with lady in the plural. 
Write a sentence \x\t\\feet in the singular. 
Write a sentence with ox in the plural. 
Write a sentence with sheep in the plural. 
Write a sentence with women in the singular 
Write a sentence with mouse in the plural. 
Write a sentence with fox in the plural. 



TOPIC VII. ONE OR MORE THAN ONE. 



59 



LESSON LIII. 

I. Read this poem, and talk about it. 
Then commit the verses to memory: 

Good-bye, little birdie ! 

Fly to the sky, 
Singing and singing 

A merry good-bye. 

Tell all the birdies 

Flying above, 
Nell in the garden 

Sends them her love. ' 



• 




r 'wuflfc 



<!, \ , 






Tell how I found you 

Hurt in a tree, 
Then, when they 're wounded, 

They '11 come right to me. 



It/: 



I 'd like to go with you 

If I could fly ; 
It must be so beautiful 

Up in the sky ! 



60 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

Why, little birdie — 

Why don't you go ? 
You sit on my finger, 

And shake your head " Xo!" 

He 's off ! Oli, how quickly 

And gladly he rose ! 
I know he will love me 

Wherever he goes. 

II. How many statements are there in this poem I 
How many questions I How many commands I 
How many exclamations ? 

III. Change the singular name- words to the plural, and 
the plural name-words to the singular. 

IY. Write a story about Nellie and her pet bird. 

REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

1. What do we mean when we say that a word is in the 

singular number I 

2. When is a word in the plural number I 

3. How is the plural number of name-words commonly 

formed ? 

4. What word forms its plural by adding en 9 

5. What two words are the same in both the singular 

and the plural ? 



TOPIC VIII. THE POSSESSIVE FORM. 



LESSON LIV. 



[The possessive form of a word shows that the person or thing named pos- 
sesses, or owns, something. The teacher should develop this point by a judi- 
cious series of oral questions.] 

Copy the name-words that are in the possessive form : 

1. See John's coat. 

2. My father owned the house. 

3. It was my father's house. 

4. I see a bird's nest. 

5. Can you read the jeweler's sign ? 

6. The lady's muff is made of fur. 

7. Have you the gentleman's umbrella I 

8. Let the boy's kite alone ! 

9. Have you seen the eagle's nest? 
10. The fox's tail is bushy. 

Copy and learn : 

The possessive form of a name-word in the singular 
number is formed by adding to it an apostrophe 

and an * ('s). 

61 



62 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR LY. 



Express the meaning of the underscored words by the 
possessive form, — thus : 



The house of a friend. 
The claws of the cat. 



The wings of an eagle. 
The dress of a doll. 
The horns of the ox. 
The song of the bird. 



The name of the pony. 
The plaything of the chili 
The harp of the hero. 
The lute of the lover. 
The roar of a lion. 
The cooing of a dove . 



The wings of a fly. The ears of a donkey. 



Write a statement about 

That child's foot, 
Rachel's eyes. 
Poor Poll's voice. 
The giraffe's neck. 



The captain's son. 
The lien's eggs. 

CO 

The elephant's trunk. 
The rabbit's tail. 



TOPIC VIII. THE POSSESSIVE FOPtM. 63 

LESSOR LVI. 

Copy the name- words which mean more than one and 
are in the possessive form : 

1. Ladies' shoes are sold here. 

2. Some hirds' eggs are very pretty. 

3. Hens' toes have joints. 

4. Wrens' nests are pretty. 

5. Crows' nests are not well built. 

6. Owls' eyes are large. 

7. Pigs' eyes are small. 

8. Ivory is got from elephants' tusks. 

9. Do you hear the children's cries ? 
10. Geese's feet are broad. 

LESSOR LVII. 

1. Express the meaning of the underscored words by 
the possessive form, — thus : 

<3iw hmib 'oaJIfih . 

The laughter of the girls. The horns of the deer. 
The shouts of the soldiers. The holds of the ships. 



64 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

The wages of the men. The parasols of the ladies. 
The manners of sailors. The clothing of sheep. 
The strength of oxen. The ears of the donkey. 

II. Write a question about : 

Birds' nests. Cats' eyes. The chickens' toes. 

Boys' shoes. Insects' food. Bears' paws. 

Copy and learn : 

The possessive form of a name-word in the plural 
is formed by writing an apostrophe after the s. 

The few plurals that do not end in s take 's for the 
possessive form. 

LESSOR LVIII. 

THE MOUSE AND THE LION. 

Once when a lion was asleep a little mouse came 
into his den. 

The mouse made so much noise that it wakened the 
lion. The big beast put his huge paw upon her and was 
about to kill her. 

"Pardon me, King," said the little mouse ; "let me 
go this time, and I will never trouble you again. Who 
knows but that I can be of use to you some time L" 

The lion smiled, for it seemed funny to think that a 



TOPIC VIII. THE POSSESSIVE FORM. 



65 




mouse could ever help him in any way. He lifted his 
paw and let her go. 

Some time after that, the lion was caught in a trap. 
The hunters wanted to carry him alive to the city and 
keep him in a cage. So they 
tied him with ropes to a tree, 
and sent for other men to come 
and help them. 

That night, while the hunt- 
ers were asleep, the little mouse ^ 
came out of his nest to look for 
food. He saw the lion tied with ropes, and said : "Are 
you the lion that was kind to me one day when I woke 
you up '? " 

The lion said, "Yes." 

"Did n't I tell you that I might he of use to you 
some time I " said the mouse. 

Then she began to gnaw the ropes. One by one she 
gnawed them through, and in this way set the lion free. 

" Was 1 not right ? " she said. " Good-bye ! " 

"Good-bye, kind mouse," said the lion. "I have 
learned that little friends may sometimes turn out to be 
great friends." 

Now close your book and write this story as you remem- 
ber it. 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WORDS. 



LESSON LIX. 



[To the Teacher: The term " quality- words "is here used not as coex- 
tensive with adjectives, but as synonymous with qualifying, or descriptive, ad- 
jectives. In opening the subject let the teacher obtain from the class a 
number of name-words, asking pupils to name a fruit, a flower, a wild 
beast, etc. When obtained write them on the board, — apple, lily, tiger, etc. 
What can you say about this apple to tell me that it is pleasant to the taste ? 
What can you say about the lily to tell me that it is pleasant to the eye ? 
Then let sentences such as these be written : 

This apple is sweet. 

The lily is pretty.] 

Copy, and write quality-words in the blank spaces. 
Draw a line under each quality- word. 

OamjyvoM) ahjb MahjiZ . 
Jjuvn/mJ) a)\Jb MnOb . 

1. Roses are red. The grass is 

2. The sky is blue. Snow is 

3. Lemons are yellow. Grapes are 

4. Grace has brown hair. Fanny has hair. 

5. Lead is heavy. Feathers are 

6. Charles looks cross. Harry looks 

7. The elephant is large. The shrew-mouse is 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WOKDS. 67 

8. Ice is cold. Fire is .... 

9. The sea is deep. Our pond is 

10. Grandfather is old. Baby Dot is 

11. The wolf is fierce. The lamb is 

12. Glass is brittle. Rubber is 

13. This is a wild duck. That is a .... duck. 

14. Good children are happy. Bad children are .... 

15. Ivory is smooth. Burs are .... 

16. An egg is oval. A ball is ... . 

17. Wool is soft. Marble is 



Copy and learn : 

Words that express qualities of objects, or that tell 
what kindf are called quality-words. 



LESSOR LX. 

Join the quality-words and the name-words in the last 
lesson. Draw a line under each quality-word. 

red roses. green grass, 

the .... sky. the .... snow, 

the .... lemons. the .... grapes, 

brown-haired Grace. .... Fanny. 

.... lead. .... feathers. 

.... Charles. .... Harry, 

the . . . elephant. .... shrew-mouse. 



68 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

.... ice. .... fire. 

the .... sea. the .... pond. 

.... grandfather. .... Baby Dot, 

the ... . wolf. the .... lamb. 

.... glass. .... rubber. 

this .... duck. that .... duck. 

the ......... children. the ......... children. 

the .... ivory. the .... burs. 

an .... egg. a . . . . ball. 

.... wool. . . . marble. 



LESSON LXI. 

I. Copy these quality-words : 

tierce gentle dirty bold 

wise funny still timid 

sly talkative faithful patient 

II. Make statements by telling which of these qualities 
belongs to each of these animals. Draw a line 
under each quality- word, — thus : 



dhjb XaxmAj \h §Wujb 



1. The fox is . . . . 3. The lion is 

2. The lamb is 4. The deer is 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WORDS. 



5. The monkey is 8. The mouse is . . 

6. The parrot is 9. The dog is ... . 

7. The pig is 10. The elephant is 



LESSON LXII. 

I. Copy these lines and shapes, and also their names 



furum/L 
QAAjuixlaJh 




AwwaAJLs 





enrol qJwwuA caaMam/L 



70 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 









^uxAmIajlL 



II. Copy, and fill the blanks with the right quality- 
words : 

Draw a line under each quality-word : 

My hall is 

The earth is like a ball. 

We sleep in bed in a posture. 

The fish bent my rod till it was 

When reading we should stand in an position. 

Some dishes for holding fish are 

In some cities are very streets. 

I saw the forked lightning with fines. 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WOKDS. 71 

LESSOR Lxni. 

Write statements telling which colors go well (or not 
well) with those named : 

Red flowers seem brighter when leaves are 

placed near them. 

and yellow go well together. 

.... and yellow go better together. 

A white dress with a sash looks pretty. 

Gray and .... are agreeable when put near each 
other. 

A . . . flower in black hair is very charming. 

A yellow straw hat would not look well trimmed with 
an ribbon. 

LESSOR EXIT. 

Copy the words in the left-hand column, and write op- 
posite each a word expressing the same quality : 






broad 


silly 


rude 


vain 


proud 


shrill 



72 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



sharp 


calm 


still 


wide 


foolish 


rough 


holy 


sacred 


just 


small 


green 


azure 


slim 


feeble 


nimble 


brisk 


tardy 


verdant 


weak 


pretty 


blue 


late 


little 


slender 


handsome 


right 



LITTLE BROWN HANDS. 

They drive home the cows from the pasture, 

Up through the long shady lane, 
Where the quail whistles loud in the wheat fields. 

That are yellow with ripening grain. 
They find in the thick waving grasses 

Where the scarlet-lipped strawberry grows ; 
They gather the earliest snowdrops, 

And the first crimson buds of the rose. 

Name the quality-words in this verse. 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WOKDS. 



73 



LESSON LXV. 



Copy the words in the left-hand column, and put in the 
right-hand column words expressing the opposite 
quality : 



AAHjOMj 


At/bOTU^ 


IoXju 


UUlAAA, 


wise 


old 


fast 


foolish 


young 

open 

fresh 


shut 
slow 
thick 


right 
cold 


noisy 
stale 


cool 


left 


dark 
mild 


dirty 
hot 


rich 


warm 


rough 


light 


thin 


fierce 


lean 
sweet 


poor 
smooth 


clean 


sour 


quiet 


fat 



74 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSON LXVI. 

I. Write answers to 
these questions : 

1. Is this a picture of 
a blacksmith's 
shop I 

2. Is a blacksmith's 
shop sometimes 
called a smithy ? 

3. What kind of 
tree shades the 
smithy ? 

4. Is the blacksmith a large, strong man. 

5. What is he doing ? 

II. Copy these verses, and draw a line under each 
quality-word. 




THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH. 

Under a spreading chestnut tree 
The village smithy stands ; 

The smith, a mighty man is he, 
With large and sinewy hands ; 

And the muscles of his brawny arms 
Are strong as iron bands. 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WORDS. 75 

His hair is crisp, and black, and long, 

His face is like the tan ; 
His brow is wet with honest sweat, 

He earns whate'er he can, 
And looks the whole world in the face, 

For he owes not any man. 

Week in, week out, from morn till night, 
You can hear his bellows blow ; 

You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, 
With measured beat and slow, 

Like a sexton ringing the village bell, 
When the evening sun is low. 

And children, coming home from school, 

Look in at the open door ; 
They love to see the flaming forge, 

And hear the bellows roar, 
And catch the burning sparks that fly 

Like chaff from a threshing-floor. 

III. Did you ever see a blacksmith 1 What kind of a 
shop has he ? What kind of work does he do ? 
What is a sledge 1 What is a forge ? 

IV. Now close your books and write all you remem- 



ber about the village blacksmith. 



76 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOX LXVJU. 

Copy these verses, and draw a line under each quality- 
word : 

1. Brown eyes, 3. New shoes, 

Straight nose, New frock, 

Dirt pies, Vague views 

Rumpled clothes. Of what 's o'clock. 

2. Torn hooks, 4. Night-gown white, 

Spoilt toys, Kiss Dolly 

Arch [cunning] looks, Good-night ! 

Unlike a hoy's. That 's Polly. 

LESSOX Lxvm. 

Copy and give quality-words telling of what kind the 
objects may he, — thus : 

( large, high, small, low ; 
A tree may be < grand, slender, spreading, withered : 
( leafy, budding, fruit-laden, bare. 

( size age 

A house may be < color appearance 

( material cost 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WORDS. 77 

( size appearance 

A dog may be < kind intelligence 

( coat temper 

( size disposition 

A boy may be < health intelligence 

( dress manners 



sunshine (or clouds) 



A day may be <J heat (or cold) 
rain, snow, etc. 



LESSOR LXIX. 

Copy and draw a line under every quality-word that 
makes a picture in your mind : 

1. Wanted, twelve pairs of stockings : 

Come, wee folks, one and all, 
Hunt up your knitting-needles. 

And beg a bright soft ball 
Of yarn from dear grandmother. 

Perhaps she '11 show you how 
To knit the tiny stockings — 

We '11 need them quite soon now. 



78 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

2. The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket, 
The moss-covered bucket that hangs in the well. 

3. Down falls the pleasant rain 
To water thirsty flowers. 

4. The breaking waves clashed high 

On a stern and rock-bound coast, 
And the woods against a stormy sky, 
Their giant branches tossed. 

LESSOR LXX. 

Copy these sentences, and use the comma in the right 
places. 

1. It was a large spreading leafy chestnut tree. 

2. The great shaggy noble dog jumped into the water. 

3. Do you know a bright clever happy playful boy I 

4. Amy is tidy quick and truthful. 

5. Do you like a dark cloudy gloomy day I 

6. Ivory is white smooth hard and opaque. 

7. Tab was a fat sleek lazy puss. 

8. See the white fleecy floating clouds ! 

Copy and learn : 

Each quality- word in a series should be set off by a 
comma. 



TOPIC IX. QUALITY-WORDS. 79 



LESSOR LXXI. 



I. Join each group of statements into one statement, 
and draw a line under each quality-word. 

Glass is hard, brittle, and transparent. 

1. The orange is a round fruit. 
The orange is a sweet fruit. 
The orange is a fragrant fruit. 

2. This is a large schoolroom. 
This is an airy schoolroom. 
This is a pleasant schoolroom. 

3. Kate's large eyes danced in her head. 
Kate's laughing eyes danced in her head. 
Kate's hlue eyes danced in her head. 

4. A tall tree stands in the park. 

A straight tree stands in the park. 
A graceful tree stands in the park. 



80 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

II. Write each of the foregoing statements as a ques- 
tion, — thus : 



LESSOX LXXII. 

Join each group into one statement, as in the last lesson 

1. Last Christmas father gave me a beautiful dress. 
Last Christmas father gave me a costly dress. 
Last Christmas father gave me a silk dress. 

2. I once had a true friend. 

I once had a gentle friend. 

I once had a warm-hearted friend. 

I once had a loving friend. 

3. The speaker had a shrill voice. 
The speaker had a piping voice. 

The speaker had a disagreeable voice. 

4. Longfellow wrote many sweet poems. 
Longfellow wrote many musical poems. 
Longfellow wrote many touching poems. 
Longfellow wrote many tender poems. 



TOPIC X. COMPARISON. 



LESSOR LXXIII. 



Write the words expressing a quality in one column, and 
those expressing- more of the same quality in another 
column, thus : 

JvyvuxUj JyvwcdJMv 

1. A pigeon is small, but a robin is smaller. 

2. A hill is hio-h ; a mountain is higher. 

3. A deer is a gentle creature. 

4. A dove is gentler than a hawk. 

f>. Is a cat faithful I Is a dog more faithful ? 

6. How pretty these flowers are ! But don't you think 

those are prettier ? 

7. Fred's story was amusing, but Ida's was still more 

amusing. 

8. This is a pleasant day, but we hope to-morrow will 

be pleasanter. 

Copy and learn : 

To express more of a quality add er to a short 
quality-word, but use the word ntot'e before a loilg 
quality-word. 

HI 



82 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOR LXXIT. 

Write in one column the words that express a quality, 
in a second column those that express more of the 
quality, and in a third those that express the most of 
the quality : 

JyvYwdl JwnxiUjJh JvYvvalLdX 

1. A pigeon is small, a robin is smaller, but a hum- 

ming-bird is the smallest of the three. 

2. The horse is a large animal, but the elephant is 

larger. In the sea lives the largest animal, the 
whale. 

3. Sweet is the voice of a friend ; sweeter the voice of 

a mother. 

4. This grass is green ; that lawn is greener. 

5. Let us slide down this steep hill. Oh, I know a 

steeper one not far from here. 

6. How deep the snow is ! It was deeper last winter. 

7. Where the blackbird sings the latest, 
Where the hawthorn blooms the sweetest, 
Where the mowers mow the cleanest, 
Where the hay lies thickest and greenest, 
Where the hazel bank is steepest, 
Where the shadow falls the deepest, — 



TOPIC X. COMPAEISON. 



83 





Up the water and over the lea : 
That 's the way for Billy and me. 
8. We have a beautiful sunset to-day. Yes, but yester- 
day's was more beautiful. I think it was the most 
beautiful sunset I ever saw. 

: # 

Dark Darker Darkest 

Copy and learn : 

To express most of a quality add est to a short 
quality- word ; but use the word most before a long 
quality-word. 

LESSON LXXY. 

PUSSY'S EYES. 

Take a look at pussy's eyes. If the 
room is dark her eyes will look like ' 
the first picture. The dark pupil, you 
see, is quite large. 

Now brin ff a can- 
die and hold it near her eyes, and you 
will quickly see a change. Her eyes 
will soon look like the second picture. 
There will be just a streak of black 
across each eye, up and down. 

Now move the candle slowly away, and you will see 





84 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

the dark streak grow wider and wider. Now the pupils 
are large, larger than ours ever are. But they are not 
quite like ours. They are always a little oblong. 

It is as if a curtain was drawn over the eye when it 
is light, and drawn back when it is dark to let in more 
light. The larger the pupil the more light can go in. 

Puss hunts for rats and mice at night and in dark 
places, and she needs to see better in the dark than we 
can. 

I. Write all the quality-words in this story, and add er 
and est to each, — thus: 

dark darker darkest 

II. Write about pussy's eyes by answering the ques- 
tions given below: 



Wb QaJJ) &wUb . 



1. How does the pupil of a cat's eye look in a dark room ? 

2. How does it look in a bright light I 

3. Which way is it always longest 1 

4. What is the shape of the pupils of your own eyes i 

5. Is the pupil of a cat's eye very large I 

6. Why is this ? 

7. Which picture shows the cat's eye in the dark I 

Which in the light ? 



TOPIC X. COMPARISON. 85 



LESSOR EXXVI. 

Add er and est to each of these words and write them 
in three columns : 

\AxKJb aAaAIA/ aAaAj + thjVVOJJh)u aAaju -hdhZ 



nice 


handsome 


pure 


coarse 


fine 


white 


pale 


dense 


tame 


strange 


rude 


loose 


large 


brave 


sure 


ripe 


Copy and learn : 









When a quality-word ends in e, the e is dropped 
before er or est. 

LESSOR EXXVTI. 

t busy + er busy + est 

busy _ t , . 

busier busiest 

Copy and learn : 

When a quality-word ends in y with a consonant 
before it, the y is changed to i before er or est. 

Add er and est to each of these words, and write them 
in three columns : 



happy 


lazy 


spicy 


mighty 


merry 


easy 


shady 


speedy 


pretty 


heavy 


holy 


sandy 



86 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 





LESSON LXXVin. 




Copy these woi 


•ds: 






good 




better 


best 


bad 




worse 


worst 


little 




less 


least 


many 




more 


most 


much 




more 


most 



Five quality-words are changed to other words to 
express more and most of the quality. They are 
good, bad, little, many, and mucJi. 

LESSON LXXIX. 

Write a statement that Richard has the quality of large- 
ness in a greater degree than Henry, — thus : 

1. Write a statement that iron has the quality of hard- 

ness in a greater degree than wood. 

2. Write a statement that platinum has the greatest 

degree of heaviness of all metals. 

3. Write a statement that Solomon had the quality of 

wisdom in the highest degree. 

4. Write five other statements about objects which pos- 

sess certain qualities in the highest degree. 



TOPIC X. COMPARISON. 87 

LESSOR LXXX. 

Change the words in italics to express more of the qual- 
ity than any other of the kind, — thus : 

The strawberry is a good fruit. 
The strawberry is the best fruit. 

The whale is a large animal. 
The rose is a fragrant flower. 
Mark is a tall lad. 
Charles is a good scholar. 
Washington was a great man. 
Solomon was a wise man. 
The greyhound is a swift dog. 
London is a large city in Europe. 

LESSOR LXXXI. 
THE HONEY-MAKER. 

Bees live on honey, which they gather from flowers. 
You almost always find bees where flowers are plenty. 

These busy little creatures live and work, thousands 
of them together, in families called swarms. In every 
family of bees there are three kinds. You can sec them 
in the pictures. The three kinds of bees are each about 
the size shown on the following page. 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 




First, there is the queen bee, the one 
with the short wings. There is only one 
queen bee in a swarm, and she lays all the 
^b£> eggs. She is the mother bee of the family 
a queen bee. and always stays at home in the hive. 
She is long, and her body is quite smooth. 

Next in size to her are the drones. They are called 
drones, because of a sort of droning noise they make 
with their wings. There are a great 
many of these drones in every hive, 
but they never gather honey. They 
have no stints to defend themselves 
with, and wdien flower-time is gone most 
of them are killed by the workers. 

These workers are the smallest bees, 
but there are thousands of them in every 
large hive. The workers make the hollow 
wax places called cells, and they fill these 
cells with honey. Sometimes the}' build as 
many as a thousand cells in a single day. 
The worker has a long, hollow tongue which it runs 
down deep into a flower. With this it sucks up the 
honey into a kind of little stomach called the honey-hag. 
Then off it flies to the hive. Part of this honey the 
worker eats, part it feeds to the cell-builders, and the 





A WORKER. 



TOPIC X. COMPAKISON. 89 

rest it pours into sonic cell that is finished. When a 
cell is fall of honey the workers seal it up with wax, to 
keep it safe for their winter food. 

The sting of the bee is very painful, and in old times 
people used to kill all the bees in a hive before they 
could get the honey. But now a way has been found to 
drive the bees into a new hive, take the honey out of all 
the wax cells which are called the honey-comb, and give 
the empty comb back to the bees for them to fill again. 

When a bee rises from a flower with its load of honey 
it goes right up until it is very high ; then it darts off', 
straight as an arrow, in " a bee-line," as we say, for the 
hive, no matter how far away this may be. Bees can 
see well. 

If you put a little anise oil on a leaf, bees half a mile 
away will smell it and come to it. Bees have a very 
keen sense of smell. 
Write answers to these questions : 

O^XJU kkyVWUs -TfiaMJlAj . 

1 . What do bees eat 1 

2. What is a swarm of bees '? How many kinds of bees 

are there in a swarm I 

3. Which is the largest bee of all I Where docs the 

queen bee stay ? What docs she do I 



90 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

4. Which bees are next in size 1 Why are they called 

drones ? Do they make honey ? Have they 
stings % 

5. Which bees are smallest ? Are there many in a hive ? 

What do the workers make from wax ? 

6. How does the worker get honey from a flower? 

How does he carry it ? What docs he do with it 1 
When a cell is full, what do the bees do to it ? 

7. How did people get at the honey in old times \ How 

is it done now I 

8. Has the bee a strong sense of sight ? Has it a strong 

sense of smell ? 

Look at the pictures : Which bee is smallest ? Which 
largest '? Which thickest I Which slenderest ? Which 
has the largest head ? How many legs has each of then i I 

REVIEW QUESTIONS. 

1. How should each quality- word in a scries be set off? 

2. What is added to a short quality-word to express 

more of a quality'? 

3. What is added to a long quality-word to express 

more of a quality ? to express most of a quality f . 

4. What five quality-words are changed to other words 

to express more and most of a quality I 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 



LESSON LXXXII. 

I. Write statements telling what these do : 

The bell Dogs Wasps . . 

Fishes Horses ... . Bees . . . 

Birds .... The sun The bear 

The clock A tree The cat . 



II. 



III. 



Write statements telling who or what : 

. . barked. .... is skating. .... will scratch. 

. . dances. .... can crow melted. 

. . blushed. .... twinkle slept. 

. . shines bloom. 



were eating. 



Name five things that 
Name four things that 
Name three things that 
Name three things that 
Name two things that 
Name two things that 



run. 

swim. 
grow, 
burn, 
.crawl. 



Copy and learn : 

Words that express action, or doing, are sometimes 
called action-words. 



92 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOX LXXXITT. 




Copy, and write the proper action-words in the blank 
spaces : 

There! Dan has a trout. Can he .... him 

out ? Take care, Dan ! Don't let him your line. 

Aha! I have a bite, Dan. 

Don't so loud, Fanny. The fish will 

you. There ! It has .... under the rock. 

'Sh ! another trout is at my bait. Watch me 

him. Now I . . . . him out ! ... him in the 

basket, Fanny. Is n't he a beaut) I 

Now I will . . . another bait on my hook. 

Why don't the fish to my hook, Dan I 

Girls cannot fish. 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 



93 



LESSOR LXXXIV. 



Write statements by joining each first part with the 
right second part to make good sense. Draw a line 
under each action-word : 



First Pakts 



Second Parts 



The robin 

Horses 

Our doctor 

Sparrows 

Babies 

That musician 

plays well 

chatters 

nibbled the cheese 

catch flies 

bloomed 

creep 



Three mice 
The parrot 
Spiders 
The rose 
Frogs 
Bears 

draw loads 

cured me 

chirp 

leap 

built a nest 

growl 



LESSOR LXXXV. 

[To the Teacher : The formidable rule of syntax that " a verb must agree 
with its subject in number and person " has in English a very limited range 
of application, our verb inflections being so few that, except in the forms of 
auxiliaries, and in the addition of s ores to verbs in the third person, singular, 
present indicative (and the omission of s or es from verbs in the third person, 
plural, present indicative), violation of the rule is not possible. 



94 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

Limited, however, as are the kinds of mistakes that children can make in the 
concord of the verb with its subject, the number of mistakes they do habitually 
make is very great indeed. Hence the need on the part of the teacher of 
constant watchfulness to overcome the effects of bad example.] 



I. Write each of the two statements as one statement, 
thus : 

S George is a boy. 
William is a boy. 

Q-exyup amAj VJiUlAXirm; ahJb wi^ . 

SNew York is a large city. 
Boston is a large city. 



3. 



( A tree is a plant. 
( A flower is a plant. 

( Lily was here yesterday. 
( Charles was here yesterday. 



,\ 



Father has gone. 
Mother has gone. 



P ( The peacock has bright feathers. 

\ The bird of Paradise has bright feathers. 

7 { Webster was a great orator. 
( Clay was a great orator. 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 95 

II. Change the statements so that each shall tell about 
more than one, thus : 

orub yjyuHAj Jyvniih MamiZ . 

ohjb YjyuHM JyrvulL MamjX . 

1. A bee makes honey. 

2. The boys pitch the ball. 

3. The child plays. 

4. The star twinkles. 

5. A cat mews. 

6. A fish swims. 

7. The river flows. 

LESSOR LXXXVI. 

I. Change the statements so that each shall tell about 
• one thing, thus : 

1. Clocks tell the time of day. 

2. Brave soldiers fight for their country. 

3. The girls carry water. 

4. Horses draw loads. 

5. Honest men are always trusted, 



96 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

(5. Shepherds watch their flocks. 
7. Balloons mount into the sky. 

Copy and learn : 

Is, ivas, and has are used in making a statement 
with the name-word in the singular; are, were, 
and have, with the name-word in the plural. 

When an action-word makes a statement with a 
name-word in the singular, s or es is added. 

[Note. — s is generally added. But when the action-word ends in s, z, x, ch (in pitch), 
or sh, es is added. When the action-word ends in y, the y is changed to i. 
and es is added.] 

II. Write questions, putting in the right action-words. 
Draw a line under each action-word. 



jOo- fojuib a/wur 



1. Do trees . . . . I 

2. Does the boy . . . . I 

3. Does the wheel . . . . I 

4. Can you flowers in this field ! 

5. Does the blacksmith .... the horse'? 

6. Will that wasp I 

7. Will you on the k-v I 

8. Do you like to ... . with your doll ? 

9. Did Columbus America \ 

10. Can ducks . . . . I 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 97 

LESSON LXXXVII. 

Write commands, using- the proper action-words. Draw 
a line under each action-word : 

Suit uJ) JmujXju orb X/oju Mnjy^ytvi aajl . 

1. Let us on the smooth ice. 

2 off your hat, Peter. 

3 the cradle, Amy, dear. 

4 the ball high up, Frank. 

5 those flowers for a bouquet, 

6 in : the water is n't deep. 

7. Mother, please . . . me a fiddle. 

8. The horse is thirsty : . . . . him some water. 
9 the ducks say quack ! quack ! 

10 your books, girls and boys. 

LESSOX LXXXVIII. 

Copy and draw a line under the action-words that tell 
of past time : 

1. The dog barks. 2. The dog barked last night, 

3. We hope to see you soon. 

4. We hoped to see you when we called yesterday. 
f>. I learned my lesson before I came to school. 

(I When do you learn yours I 



98 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

7. A young mouse lived in a cupboard where sweet- 

meats were kept. She dined every day upon 
biscuit, cheese, and sugar. 

8. Little Jack Toft sat on the bough of an apple tree. 

But the bough broke, and Jack tumbled down. 

Copy and learn : 

Action-words may tell of past time. 

LESSON LXXXTX. 

Copy these statements : 

1. I look at the picture. 

2. I looked at the picture. 

3. I love birds and flowers. 

4. I loved dear little Ann. 

5. The sparrows hop about in the street. 

6. The frog hopped into the pond. 

7. I pity the poor robin. 

8. We pitied the poor robin. 

We generally add ed to an action-word to tell of 

past time. 
When an action-word ends in e, the e is dropped 

before ed. 
When an action-word ends in y with a consonant 

before it, the y is changed to /■ before ed. 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 99 

LESSOR XC. 

I. Change these action-words so that they will express 
past time : 



roar 


gain 


bore 


die 


carry 


tame 


try 


pray 


blame 


dry 


spy 


study 


faint 


desire 


settle 


hurry 



II. Change these action-words so as to express past 
time. Observe that the last letter in the word is 
doubled when ed is added : 



skim 


fan rob 


omit 


stir 


skip slip 
LESSOR XCI. 


tap 



Copy the sentences in the right-hand column, and put in 
the proper forms of the action-words to express past 
time, — thus : 

rUxhyahAj qaa/yyuj Zcr OWb Jbwi&ov . 

. . to our 
last night. 



1. Richard comes to our 


Richard 


school. 


school. 


2. Leaves fall. 


Leaves . 



100 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

3. I see a bright star. I ... a bright star. 

4. You hear the bell. You the bell. 

5. We catch the ball. We the ball. 

6. The dog bites the cat. The dog . . . the cat. 

7. The teacher says, " Sit The teacher . . . . , " Sit 

down." down." 

8. Did you buy a top ? I a top. 

9. I get up early. I . . . up early. 

10. The man brings a letter. The man a letter. 

11. I give you this. I . . . . you this. 

12. You hear baby cry. You baby cry. 

13. Lily sits down. Lily . . . down. 

Copy and learn : 

Some action-words express past time, not by adding 
ed, but by changes in the form of the word. 



LESSON XCII. 

Copy and fill in action-words expressing past time. 
Draw a line under each action-word. 

My dog Prince is full of mischief. Last week father 

home a new pair of boots for me. At night 

I . . . . them in the hall, for I was going to wear them 
next day. 

Well, early in the morning, Prince . . . them, and he 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 



101 



one of the 



thought, " Here 's fun for me." So he . 

new boots in his mouth, out of the house, and 

. . . down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. 




I . . . after him. I him for half an hour. 

but I could not . . . him. 

After a while Prince .... back to the house without 

the boot. We for it everywhere, but we have not 

been able to find that boot to this day. 

When father for the city we .... him all 

about it, and lie ... . out to look for the boot too. But, 
of course, he could not find it, and at last .... it up. 

He Prince, but Prince only his tail. 

I was sorry about the boot, but I could not help laugh- 
ing. Could von \ 



102 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOX XCUI. 

Write each group of sentences as one sentence, bringing 
in all the action- words, thus : 



Boys can study. 
Boys can play. 
Boys can work. 
Boys can read. 
Boys can write. 



Dogs bark. 
Dogs bite. 
Dogs run. 
Dogs play. 

Girls romp. 
Girls laugh. 
Girls pick flowers. 
Girls play croquet. 



Boys can study, play, work, read, 
and write. 



Let the birds sing. 
Let the birds eat. 
Let the birds fly. 
Let the birds chirp. 

Samuel rows. 
Samuel swims. 
Samuel rides. 
Samuel boxes. 



This morning; I rose. 
This morning I washed. 
This morning I dressed. 
This morning I went to school. 

Three or more action-words in a series should be 
set off by commas. 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 



103 



LESSOR XCIV. 




Write statements in answer to these questions : 

1. What do you see in the picture? 

2. In what kind of a hoat is the man 1 

3. Where is this boat ? 

4. Where do you think the tub came from 1 

5. Will a tub float like a boat I 

6. What do you suppose is in the tub ? 

Write a story about the lost tub, and hav< 
action-words express past time. 



.11 thi 



104 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSON XCV. 
DANGER ON THE ICE. 

I am going* to tell you a story about six boys. These 
are their names : Peter, James, Robert, Jacob, Thomas, 
Henry. 

One clay last winter these six boys went down to the 
river to skate. But the winter was almost over, and 
that very morning the ice in the river had begun to 
break up. The slippery cakes were already floating 
slowly down the stream. The boys soon saw that there 
would be no more skating, so they threw their skates 
down on the ground in a heap. 

Peter said: "Come, boys, one kind of fun is as good 
as another; who can run farthest on these ice-cakes 1 
See, they are close together, It is safe enough. Come 
on ! " And off he ran. But nobody followed him ex- 
cept little Jacob. 

Look at the picture on the next page. The boy with 
the fur cap on his head is Peter. He went across 
safely, but little Jacob fell in. Yes, and he came very 
near being drowned, too. 

Had it not been for Peter, I don't know what would 
have become of him. But Peter quickly leaned over 
and seized little Jacob by the hand. Then James held 



TOPIC XI. ACTION-WORDS. 



105 



Peter so he should not slip, and in this way they got the 
poor lad out. 

There comes Rob- 
ert with a long rope, 
and Thomas has a h gpv 
board from the fence, p 
They are good boys, L 
but Jacob is safe be- • "',,'. 
fore they reach him. 
If Henry is not care- 
ful, he too will fall 
into the water. 

Write answers to 
these questions : 




£)amxuAj 



cm 



4w6 



QJb 



1. What are you going to tell about \ What were the 

boys' names \ 

2. Where did the boys go with their skates? What did 

they find when they got to the river \ 

3. What did Peter say? What did he do then \ Who 

followed liim \ 

4. Who got safely across I Who fell in I 

5. What did each boy do I 



TOPIC XII. THE OBJECT. 



LESSOR XCVI. 
Copy, and put name-words after the action-words, thus 

Bakers make 

Emma studied her 

Bees make 

Cats like .... 

The fox stole the 

James wrote a 

Columbus discovered 

The shepherd watches his 

Do not pluck those 

Did you ever catch a .... \ 

Where did you find those ? 

Oh, see the ! 

Frances, shut the .... 

Will you get my . . . . , Mr. Miller? 

Copy and learn : 

Some action-words are usually followed by a name- 
word to make a complete statement. These name- 
words are called objects. 

106 



TOPIC XII. THE OBJECT. 107 

LESSOR XCTII. 
Write each group of statements as one statement — thus: 

Farmers raise wheat. \ 

Farmers raise corn. I Farmers raise wheat, 
Farmers raise rye. j corn, rye, and harley. 
Farmers raise barley. J 

Grocers sell tea. I bought a pear. 

Grocers sell coffee. I bought an orange. 

Grocers sell sugar. I bought some nuts. 

Grocers sell spices. I bought a kite. 

Druggists keep pills. 
Druggists keep powders. 
Druggists keep soda-water. 

A plant has a root. From mines we get gold. 

A plant has a stem. From mines we get silver. 

A plant has leaves. From mines we get iron. 

A plant has flowers. From mines we get copper. 

A plant has fruit. From mines we get lead. 

Copy and learn : 

Each of a series of objects, except the last, must 
be followed by a comma, 



108 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSON XCVIII. 

Copy, and fill the blank spaces with name-words, telling 

what, thus : 

What shall we take when we go to the picnic 1 Oh, 
we will take .... , , , and .... 

Ori/, \aHj ixnlL Xomju AxxnnAAAJxarvtb ) 

In this room I see , , , 

and 

Uncle caught three [trout] .... and four 

At the fancy-store I saw .... , , .... , 



We study , , and , 

The hardware merchant sells 

, and 

At the museum I saw .... , , 

. . . . , and 

I should like to have ... , .... , and 
The carpenter makes , 

and 

In the barnyard the farmer keeps . . . 

and 



TOPIC XIII. WORDS THAT SHOW HOW. 



LESSOX XCIX. 



Copy, and draw a line under each word that answer: 
the question " How 1 " 

1. I speak plainly. 

2. Do you hear distinctly 1 

3. Step softly, boys. 

4. You all read well. 

5. A deer can run fast. 

6. Emma sews neatly. 

7. Drive the nail right ! 

8. The fire hums brightly to-night. 

9. Some birds fly swiftly. 
K). Grace sings sweetly. 

11. This lesson has not been perfectly learned. 

12. The baby sleeps soundly. 

13. Swiftly the waters flow. 

14. Over the waves we gaily glide. 

Copy and learn : 
Some words show how an action is performed. 

109 



110 



TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOR C. 

Copy, and put in words showing how the action is or 
was performed : 

1. A snail creeps 

2. The lamp burned 

3. An eagle flies .... 

4. The wind hlew last night 

5. Eliza came .... 

6. Baby sleeps 

7. Speak to the unhappy. 

8. Can you run . . . . ? 

9. Our soldiers fought 

10. How the sun shines ! 



LESSOR CI. 

Add ly to each of these quality-words 



blind 


rapid 


calm 


worthy 


deaf 


savage 


truthful 


graceful 


just 


foolish 


spruce 


handsome 


proud 


steady 


lazy 


roguish 


strange 


loose 


needless 


honest 


broad 


narrow 


severe 


merry 


happy 


cheery 


tidy 


hasty 



TOPIC XIII. WORDS THAT SHOW HOW. Ill 

Write statements, questions, or commands using — 

mildly fiercely joyfully 

fast tidily easily 

quickly cruelly cunningly 

slowly prettily hastily 

Copy and learn : 

By adding- ly to a quality-word a word inay be 
formed which expresses how an action is per- 
formed. 

lessor cn. 

Copy, and draw a line under each word telling when 
or where an action is performed. 

My dear mother will soon he here. 

Charles was here yesterday. 

The sluggard rose late. I often rise early. 

Mary is always happy. 

Go far up the hill. A hermit lives there. 

To-morrow I am going a-fishing. 

Trot along behind me, Carlo. 

The water-dog often saves life. 

The trout is biting now. 

Come here, little Bo-peep. T^et us go below. 

Some words express when or where an action is 
performed. 



112 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

lessox cm. 

I. Write statements using these when or where words : 

to-day immediately by-and-by 

yonder already backwards 

everywhere often nowhere 

II. Write each group of statements as one statement, 
bringing in all the how, when, and where words : 

We rose early. ) w , , 

J _ \ = We rose early yesterday. 
\v e rose yesterday. ) 

We shall study hard. The sun shines brightly. 

We shall study to-morrow. The sun shines to-day. 

I will come back here. Birds travel swiftly. 

I will come back soon. Birds travel silently. 

The boy acted fairly. Columbus behaved calmly. 

The boy acted justly. Columbus behaved bravely. 

The boy acted generously. Columbus behaved nobly. 

The choir sang slowly. This letter will go there. 

The choir sang softly. This letter will go quickly. 

The choir sang sweetly. This letter will go safely. 



TOPIC XIV. LETTER-WRITING. 
LESSOR CIV. 

[To the Teacher : In the following lessons the children begin to make 
practical use of that which they have learned in the preceding pages. There 
is work here for many days. Let the children write letters on a variety of 
subjects, carefully observing the rules for the arrangement of the different 
parts. Insist on neatness and accuracy from the very beginning. Show how 
a liberal margin should always be left at the left-hand side of the manuscript. 
There should be no crowding either at the top or at the bottom of the page. 
Have a care about the punctuation. See that capital letters are used in the 
right places. Show the children how to write their signatures properly, how 
to fold a sheet of letter paper with neatness and care, how to direct an en- 
velope, and how and where to affix the stamp. Do not tolerate any habits of 
carelessness or slovenliness.] 

Heading of TKlxn/uAtoixmy , TW fyihAMf , 

aLettek: Octotau.wn. 

1. What are the parts of a letter? 

The parts of a letter are: (1) the heading, (2) the 
address, (3) the salutation, (4) the body, (5) the compli- 
mentary ending, and (6) the signature. 

2. What part of a letter is written first I 
The heading, 

3. What does the heading of the letter show i 

The heading shows (1) where the letter was written ; 
(2) when the letter was written. 

113 



114 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

DIAGRAM OF A LETTER. 



3 

ir 



Key to the Diagram : 1, the beading ; 2, the address ; 3, the salutation : 
4, the beginning of the body of the letter ; 5, the complimentary ending ; 6, 
the signature. 



TOPIC XIV. LETTEE-WRITING. 115 

LESSOR CT. 

[To the Teacher : Write on the blackboard the heading which is given 
at the beginning of Lesson CIV. Let it be referred to as the different points 
are brought out relative to this subject. It should remain on the blackboard, 
and the other parts of the letter should be added from day to day, as the 
study of letter-writing progresses.] 

Study the diagram of a letter on the opposite page. 

1. Where is the heading of the letter written'? 

Near the top of the page and toward the right-hand side. 

2. What are the two parts of a heading called ? 
They are called the items of the heading. 

3. What are shown in the first item % 

The name of the place from which the letter is 
written, and the name of the state. 

4. What punctuation marks are used in writing the first 

item % 
The name of the place is followed by a comma, and 
the name of the state by a comma. 

5. What are shown in the second item % 
The month, day of the month, and year. 

6. What punctuation marks are used in writing the 

second item % 
The number indicating the day of the mouth is fol- 
lowed by a comma, and the number indicating the year 
by a period. 



116 



TALKING WITH THE TENCIL. 



7. Now explain more fully where each line of the head- 

ing should he written I 
If the note-paper is ruled, the names of the place and 
state (first item) are written on the first line, beginning 
a little to the left of the middle of the line ; the month, 
day of the month, and year (second item) are written 
on the second line, beginning a little to the right of the 
beginning of the first item. 

8. If the note-paper is not ruled, where should the first 

line of the heading he written I 
Ahout one inch from the top of the page 

Exercise: — Copy these headings, and write six 
others. 



Buffalo, X. Y., 

June 10, 1896. 



Peoria, Ohio, 

March 4, 1895. 



Charleston, S. C, 
August 5, 1896. 



San Francisco. ( JaL, 
May 5, L896. 



Lawrence, Kansas, 
Jan. 1, 1898. 



Philadelphia, Ta., 
July 4, L776. 



St. Louis, Mo. 
July 1, 189' 



Washington, I). C. 
June 30, 1897. 



TOPIC XIV. LETTER-WRITING. 117 

LESSOR CVI. 

Address of a Letter: 

VfUMYTlaAAAs QmxhMscrvb, 

nUxM/vvwmxL , ViAxu/vuxh . 

1 . What does the address of a letter show ? 

It shows to whom the letter is written, and to what 
place it is sent. 

2. What are the items of an address I 

They are the name of a person or firm, the name of 
a city or town, and the name of a state. 

3. Where should the name of the person addressed he 

written 1 
It should be written on the line below the heading", 
commencing at the guide line of the left margin. 

4. Where should the rest of the address be written I 
On the line below the name of the person addressed. 

commencing at the paragraph margin. 

5. What punctuation marks are used in writing the items 

of an address I 

A comma is placed after the name of the person and 

the name of the place, and a period after the name of the 

state. In writing to friends or familiar acquaintances, 

the address at the head of the letter may be omitted. 



118 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

7. What is the address when written on the envelope 
called ? 
It is called the superscription. In the superscription, 
the name of the state should be written on the line below 
the name of the town. 

Exercise : — Copy these addresses and write six others. 

Messrs. Mason & Hamlin, 

Boston, Mass. 

J. R. Fox & Co. 

Cincinnati, 0. 

Mr. John Goodale, 

New Orleans, La. 

Mrs. J. S. Joy, 

Ironton, Mo. 

Miss Deborah Franklin, 

Seattle, Wash. 

Master Frank Fairweather, 

New York City. 



TOPIC XIV. LETTEK-WEITING. 119 

LESSOR CTII. 

The Salutation: fTW djbOJh CTlUJUYuL- 

1. What is the salutation ? 

It is the real beginning of the letter. It is usually an 
expression of respect or endearment addressed to the 
person to whom you are writing. 

2. Here are some common forms of salutation : 



Dear Friend, 


Dear Cousin, 


Sir, 


My dear Friend, 


Dear Henry, 


Dear Sir, 


Dear Mother, 


Dear Madame, 


Gentlemen. 



3. Which of these salutations would you use in writing 

a very friendly letter? 

4. Which would you use in writing a business letter 1 

5. Where should the salutation be written? 

It should be written on the line below the address, 
beginning a little further towards the right. 

6. Write the headings, the addresses, and the salutations 

appropriate for letters to five different persons: 
(1) to one of your parents; (2) to your brother or 
sister ; (3) to a schoolmate ; (4) to a stranger from 
whom you expect to ask some favor ; (5) to a busi- 
ness firm from whom you are about to make some 
kind of purchase. 



120 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOR CVIII. 

[To the Teacher: Keep the diagram on page 114 constantly before the 
pupils while studying and reciting these lessons. It would be well to copy it 
on the blackboard, and let the children fill it out by writing the different 
parts from day to day. Require them also to copy it on paper, each filling 
out his own diagram and bringing it to the class for inspection and criticism.] 

1. The body of a letter is its main part. It is what you 

wish to say to the person to whom you are writing. 

2. The complimentary ending is a polite assurance of re- 

spect or affection, which follows the body of the 
letter. 
Here are some of the most common forms: 

Your loving daughter, • Faithfully yours, 
Your affectionate son, Very truly yours, 

Your sincere friend, Yours respectfully, 

Yours sincerely, Yours truly. 

3. Which of these forms should you use in writing to 

some one who is dear to you I 
Notice that only the first word should begin with a 
capital. Do not write Yours, etc., or Yours ever. 

4. Which should you use in writing to strangers, or to 

those who are not familiarly known to you > 

5. What follows the complimentary ending of a letter 1 

6. The signature is the name of the writer. Where 

should the signature be written I 



TOPIC XIV. LETTER-WRITING. 121 

lioWb wnxi hJXOb vjxhb 

JUXUAMxL ^tbXlJuLoJW^ O/nxL UHj AAMAJb oil 

oXoAj txy wuoJb ^\&YVb ixo-u, . a ojwb oajwu^ 
uy Mylvoiyl r vwur 1 a/vuL a/wb omMp iruMj^ vimAm 
d/ifw. a a/wb Imh/vwvws vwur tor talk/ unlkb 
thjb ju/vbObt ) amAj vJnjJVb wyw AjloxL Xhxb 
Vj/yxh syvuajJu XKajvw; vrwX a a/wb t/Mu/Yuis 

{AT Vj/TUu . SyuAJL UHJUb fi/tifc OTb tivb GAjJUAWo 

vruh rvwWu/vba-. onjb wjjXb ahh \oJAAm/h wb 
XJasu ummh) , a/vuL Xmju hbOAHM oy w\Jb Xjxud) 
ahjb tbOvvumx^ h\jovov\j. ui& $bofw XKaX umb 
oa/vb \\aiw vJ) a, vxmZ wAaa- h/ytyvb. 
\hyvJb Imn/vbOs oouM/vb , 

3-zAAAaaxU, YfLomAV/vba. 



122 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 



LESSOX CIX. 



I. Copy the letter on page 121, and notice how each 
of its parts is written. Notice how this envelope 
is directed. 



Stamp. 



YY\aM VflaAAj IVi&uMrvh, 



TYlaM. 



II. Write a letter of ten lines to your mother telling her 
of something that yon did at school yesterday. 
Be careful that every part of the letter is written 
properly. Be sure to use capital letters, commas, and 
periods in the right places. 

III. Write to a schoolmate inviting him or her to come 

to a picnic, stating the place and the time. 

IV. Write to a firm of hooksellers asking the price of 

a hook that you would like to huy. 



TOPIC XIV. LETTEK-WEITING. 123 

LESSOR CX. 

I. Write a note of five lines to one of your friends re- 
questing the loan of a book. 

II. Write another note of five lines in answer to your 
first note, and saying that you shall he glad to 
comply with the request. 

III. Write another note expressing regrets that you 
cannot lend the book. 

LESSOX CXI. 

Before a letter is posted it must be placed in an en- 
velope and properly directed. 

I. Copy this model of an addressed envelope : 






124 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

II. Draw the outline of another envelope, and write : 



Your own name, 

Name of city or town, 

Name of state. 



Many good writers prefer to omit the commas at the 
ends of the lines. Write the above both with and without 
the commas, and then choose that which you like best 

III. Draw rectangles to represent other envelopes. Di- 
rect one to each of the following persons, giving 
the correct address : 

1. To your teacher. 

2. To your uncle or aunt, or to a cousin. 

3. To Rev. John Dutton, 3 Market Street, Chicago, 

Illinois. 

4. To the American Book Company, Washington 

Square, New York City. 

5. To any one living in your own town. 



REVIEWS. 

LESSOR CXII. 

I. Copy, and fill the blank spaces properly : 

" : Farmers plant .... and 

ffo to school. 

Leaves grow on 

Flags are put on 

The . . . had an in his 

What kind of words did yon write in the spaces I Which 
mean more than one thing I Change them so that 
each will he in the singular. 

II. Apples may he sweet or 

Apples may be . . . or green. 

Apples may be mellow or 

Apples may be or small. 

Fill the blank spaces properly ; then combine the four 

sentences so as to form only one sentence. 
Name all the quality-words yon have u^'d in this 
exercise. 

III. January brings the snow, 

Makes our ears and lingers glow. 

125 



126 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

May brings many a flower sweet, 

Scatters violets at our feet. 
Draw a line under each of the action-words in these 

verses. Change them so as to express past time. 
Write the names of the months. 

LESSOR CXIII. 

1. How many kinds of name-words have you learned 

about ? Write five of each kind. 

2. What name- words should always begin with capital 

letters ? Write five. 

3. What is a sentence '? Write five sentences. 

4. How many kinds of sentences have you learned 

about ? 

5. Write a statement. Why is it a statement I 

6. Write a question that can be answered by Yes or 

No. Write a question that cannot be so answered. 
What mark must be placed after every question I 

7. Write a command. 

8. Write an exclamation. What mark must be placed 

after it % 

9. After what kinds of sentences do you always place 

a period \ 
10. Write a sentence in which you may properly use 
four capital letters. 



KEVIEWS. 127 

11. Write a sentence in which you must use two commas. 

12. Write a sentence containing an exclamation point 

and ending with a period. 

13. Write a sentence containing two action-words. 

LESSOR CXIV. 
BOYS ON THE FABM. 

Planting the corn and potatoes, 

Helping to scatter the seeds, 
Feeding the hens and the chickens, 

Freeing the garden from weeds, 
Caring for the doves and pigeons, 

Leading the horse to the stall — 
We little children are husy ; 

Sure there is work for us all. 

I. Make as many sentences as you can to express the 
same meaning as the ahove lines. 

Boys plant corn, etc. 

II. Now comhinc all your sentences into one, telling 
what hoys on the farm do. 

III. How may most action-words be changed to express 
past time ? Write three action-words that can- 
not he changed in this way. 



128 TALKING WITH THE PENCIL. 

LESSOX CXV. 

1. When is a name-word the object of a sentence j 

2. Write a sentence containing two objects. 

3. Write a sentence containing two action-words. 

4. Write a sentence containing three quality-words. 

5. How are quality-words changed to denote the pos- 

session of a higher degree of quality I 

6. When est is added to a quality-word what change 

does it make in its meaning I 

7. What is the difference in the meaning of these three 

words : 

hi^h higher highest. 

o o D 

8. What is the first part of a letter to he written 1 

9. Where should it he written ? Which words should 

begin with capitals '? 

10. What is the second part of a letter to he written, es- 

pecially if the letter is to a stranger ! If the letter 
is for a friend what may the second part be I 

11. Where should the body of the letter begin ( 

12. What is the signature i Where should it be written I 

13. On what part of the envelope should the address be 

written I Where should the stamp be placed i 

14. Write a letter to your teacher, telling about some of 

the things you have learned in this book. 



I J 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

III: II 



003 243 939 1 e 




